Checking your pulse regularly could save your life, according to a senior Havering GP.
To mark Heart Rhythm Week (June 2-8), a top doctor has urged residents to keep tabs on their heart rate, which should be between 60-100 beats per minute (bpm).
More than one million people in the UK are affected by an abnormal heart rate (arrhythmia) with 800,000 people suffering from one of the most common forms, artrial fibrilliation, which is a sign of stroke.
In Havering last year there were over 100 early deaths people under 75 from stroke and heart disease, and Dr Atul Aggarwal, chair of Havering Clinical Commissioning Group, wants people to make a habit of checking their pulse.
“It is simple, it only takes a minute at most out of your day. The best times are first thing in the morning or just before going to bed. One minute could be the difference between knowing if your pulse is regular and possibly something more serious.
“If you are visiting your GP or practice nurse in the near future, ask them to check your pulse and show you how you check your pulse yourself.”
People with a heart rate continuously above 120bpm or below 40bpm should contact their GP.
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